Scottish Executive

Advice Services

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to establish a comprehensive network of debt and housing advice services.

Jackie Baillie: We are supporting the establishment of a national debtline service to be piloted in Fife early in the New Year, which will cover all aspects of money and debt advice. The Executive is working with advice agencies and other partners, including the financial sector, to improve the availability of debt and housing advice in Scotland. I have published the Facing up to Debt report which maps existing services and provides an assessment of demand.

Advocacy

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans that would affect the independent advocacy function of multi-issue organisations such as Citizens Advice Bureaux.

Jackie Baillie: The Scottish Executive has no such plans. Under the terms of its Compact with the voluntary sector, the Executive is committed to recognising and supporting the sector’s independence, including its right to comment on and challenge Government policy.

Advocacy

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans that would impact on the ability to deliver advocacy services of (a) local authorities, (b) health boards and (c) trust-funded organisations that provide independent advocacy services across a range of issues.

Susan Deacon: Independent Advocacy - A guide for Commissioners , states that advocacy schemes, commissioned by health and social services, should be independent of the statutory and voluntary service sectors.

  Whilst service providing agencies clearly undertake a valuable role in providing direct representation (or advocacy) for individuals who rely on their support, there are times in an individual's life when they need, or want, someone to advocate for them who has no connection with them as a provider of services.

Agriculture

John Farquhar Munro (Ross, Skye and Inverness West) (LD): To ask the First Minister what progress is being made in restoring animal exports to Europe.

Mr Jim Wallace: Thanks to strenuous efforts by Ross Finnie, I am delighted he was able to announce on Tuesday that lamb and venison exports from most of Scotland can recommence soon. Agreement to resume pigmeat and beef exports was secured last month.

Agriculture

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Her Majesty’s Government on supplementing the sums paid to farmers in the current financial year under the sheep annual premium scheme.

Ross Finnie: I have discussed the financial impact of foot-and-mouth disease and loss of export markets on the sheep industry with other UK Agriculture Ministers on many occasions over the last six months. These discussions have covered a number of options, including the possibility of a national top up to the Sheep Annual Premium.

Animal Welfare

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it plans to take to improve animal welfare.

Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive attaches a high priority to animal welfare and seeks to ensure in various ways that the welfare of farm animals is protected. Proposals to implement EU Directives on the welfare of laying hens and also of pigs are currently under consideration. Legislation will be brought forward when these considerations are complete.

Architecture

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the Royal Institute of British Architects regarding Valuing Good Design.

Allan Wilson: In Scotland, the professional body representing architects is the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS). The Executive meets regularly with the RIAS on a wide range of matters affecting the profession in Scotland. This includes the development of policy on architecture, the overarching message of which is the value of good design.

Architecture

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it intends to make an announcement outlining its policies on architecture.

Allan Wilson: The document A Policy on Architecture for Scotland was published on 5 October and I formally launched the policy on the same date at Dundee Contemporary Arts.

Children

Scott Barrie (Dunfermline West) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in recognising the importance of children’s play.

Nicol Stephen: Our  Programme for Government  sets the objective of providing children with a stimulating environment for playing, developing and learning.

  The pre-school education curriculum is founded on the concept of learning through play. Physical development and movement is a key aspect of children’s development and learning. 97% of four-year-olds and 80% of three-year-olds, now receiving grant funded pre-school education, are benefiting from learning through play.

  We are providing funding to a range of organisations committed to the development of play and, through the Special Educational Needs Innovation Grant Programme, to projects developing integrated play and learning for children with special needs.

Children

Mike Watson (Glasgow Cathcart) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to improve recruitment and retention in the social work profession following the recent action team report on children’s services.

Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive is aware of some difficulties in recruiting and retaining social work staff in parts of Scotland. The Executive will be working closely with the newly created Scottish Social Services Council and other organisations in the coming months to develop our national and local strategies to address this issue.

Children

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what recent representations it has received concerning the funding of playschemes for children with special educational needs.

Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive has received representations from yourself, on behalf of your constituents, about summer playscheme provision for children with special educational needs in Renfrewshire.

  The Executive encourages local authorities to develop inclusive leisure and recreation policies for all children, including children with special educational needs.

  The New Opportunities Fund (NOF) can fund the provision of playschemes - including those for children with special educational needs - as part of its out-of-school care initiative.

  The NOF, PE and Sport in Schools initiative which is to come on stream next year, will also be supporting out of school hours programmes offering a wide range of sporting and cultural activities.

Construction Industry

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive (a) what funding was provided to colleges for training in the construction industry, (b) which colleges received such funding and how much each received and (c) what methodology was used to determine the sums involved, in each of the past three years.

Ms Wendy Alexander: Decisions on the funding of individual colleges of further education are a matter for the Scottish Further Education Funding Council (SFEFC). The council is currently conducting studies into the supply of, and demand for, further education across four Scottish sectors, including construction. The results will be shared with the colleges, and others, to help inform decisions on how best to provide suitable and efficient further education so as to meet identified needs.

  Improving the matching of skills supply to demand in Scotland is a core function of the new Future Skills Scotland unit. With regard to the construction sector, Future Skills Scotland will draw upon the outcomes of the SFEFC studies and on labour market information and intelligence provided by the Construction Industry Training Board.

Construction Industry

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken or proposes to take to support multi-skilling in the construction industry.

Mr Alasdair Morrison: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1O-3911 on 4 October 2001.

Crime

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-18905 by Mr Jim Wallace on 22 October 2001, what plans it has to start recording annual figures on the estimated impact of retail crime on businesses.

Iain Gray: We have no plans to collect such information.

Culture

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive which ministers have met representatives of the Royal Fine Art Commission for Scotland since 1 July 1999 and on which occasions.

Allan Wilson: Rhona Brankin met with representatives of the Commission when she opened the Commission’s Festival Exhibition on 6 August 1999. I met representatives of the Commission when I opened this year’s Festival Exhibition on 21 August this year.

Dental Health

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in implementing the recommendations made in the Action Plan for Dental Services in Scotland .

Susan Deacon: A number of the recommendations, outlined in the Action Plan for Dental Services in Scotland , have been implemented and work continues to address the others.

Diabetes

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how it is tackling the level of diabetes.

Susan Deacon: NHSScotland is spending more than £300 million a year in tackling diabetes. This involves national and local initiatives to improve prevention, detection and treatment.

  The Executive will shortly launch the first national Diabetes Framework to ensure better and more consistent services are delivered across Scotland.

Education

Elaine Thomson (Aberdeen North) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to close any gap in attainment levels between pupils from advantaged and disadvantaged backgrounds.

Mr Jack McConnell: Raising attainment for all pupils and closing the gap between the poorest and best performers are central to the National Priorities for education. I will shortly be issuing guidance to education authorities which sets out a clear, evidence-based improvement framework for monitoring the delivery of National Priorities at all levels. Schools and authorities will be supported in that delivery by our drive to provide better integrated children’s services.

Education

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive on which occasions ministers or deputy ministers with responsibility for education have met representatives of St Mary’s Episcopal Primary School in Dunblane since 1 July 1999.

Mr Jack McConnell: Ministers, or deputy ministers, with responsibility for education have not met with representatives of St Mary's Episcopal Primary School in Dunblane on any occasion since 1 July 1999.

Education

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive which ministers have met representatives of Community Learning Scotland since 1 July 1999 and on which occasions.

Nicol Stephen: Ministerial colleagues and myself have met members of Community Learning Scotland board and/or staff at the following official meetings:

  Peter Peacock, October 1999, meeting with Community Learning Scotland Board

  Peter Peacock, January 2000, meeting with the Scottish Youth Work Partnership

  Jack McConnell, May 2000, Eurodesk anniversary

  Peter Peacock, September 2000, meeting with Scottish Youth Work Partnership

  Nicol Stephen, January 2001, meeting with Community Learning Scotland Board

  Nicol Stephen, May 2001, meeting with Scottish Youth Work Partnership

  Nicol Stephen, June 2001, meeting with Scottish Youth Parliament

  Nicol Stephen, August 2001, meeting with Community Learning Scotland Youth Issues Unit

  Margaret Curran, September 2001, meeting with Scottish Community Development Alliance.

Education

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive which ministers have met representatives of the Independent Schools Tribunal since 1 July 1999 and on which occasions.

Mr Jack McConnell: The purpose of the Independent Schools Tribunal is to hear appeals against notices of complaint served on independent schools. As no appeals have been received since July 1999, there has not been a need for the tribunal to be constituted and ministers have not met representatives.

Employment

Margaret Jamieson (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many jobs have been created in the Kilmarnock and Loudoun parliamentary constituency since May 1999, broken down by employing organisation.

Ms Wendy Alexander: The information requested is not held centrally.

Employment

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive (a) how many job losses there were and (b) how many jobs were created in the (i) Aberdeen Central, (ii) Aberdeen North (iii) Aberdeen South, (iv) Angus, (v) Banff and Buchan, (vi) Dundee East, (vii) Dundee West, (viii) Gordon and (ix) West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine constituencies in each year since 1 July 1999.

Ms Wendy Alexander: The information requested is not held centrally.

Enterprise

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to support the staff at DAKS Simpson in Larkhall following the announcement that the factory is to cease manufacturing in spring 2002.

Ms Wendy Alexander: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1O-3923 by Alasdair Morrison on 25 October 2001.

Environment

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what input it has had into any recent discussions involving EU environment ministers.

Ross Finnie: The Executive is fully involved in preparations for Environment Councils and international meetings involving EU environment ministers.

Environment

Fiona McLeod (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it has given to the water authorities and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency on the design of wastewater treatment systems in order to ensure that bathing waters are protected now and in the future under likely scenarios of climate change.

Rhona Brankin: Annex C of A Working Document for Dischargers and Regulators , published by the Scottish Office Agriculture, Environment and Fisheries Department in February 1998, provides guidance to the water authorities and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) on the design construction and operation of waste water collection systems and treatment plants. A copy of this document is available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 17088).

  No specific guidance has been given by the Executive to the Scottish water authorities and SEPA about the protection of bathing waters in the future under possible climate change scenarios.

Environment

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is any published evidence that wild fowl are at particular risk from lead poisoning and, if so, whether it will place a copy of such evidence in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

Rhona Brankin: The poisoning of wildfowl from lead deposited through shooting is widely accepted as a serious problem. The Scottish Executive was consulted in July of this year on the possible restriction on the use of lead shot and the responses are being analysed.

  A number of reports have been published giving international summaries of the problem. The answer to question S1W-3574 gave a comprehensive list of relevant reports but copies of all these documents are not held centrally by the Executive. A further key report, titled Lead Poisoning in Waterbirds. International Update Report 2000 was published this year by Wetlands International. A copy has been placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 17127).

Firearms

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many firearm licenses were (a) applied for, (b) granted and (c) refused in each of the last three years, broken down by police force area.

Mr Jim Wallace: The information requested is set out in the following table.

  


Police force area 
  

Year 
  

Applications 
  



New firearm certificate 
  

Renewal of firearm certificate 
  



Granted 
  

Refused 
  

Granted 
  

Refused 
  



Central 
  

1998 
  

40 
  

3 
  

- 
  

- 
  



1999 
  

24 
  

- 
  

- 
  

- 
  



2000 
  

53 
  

- 
  

251 
  

- 
  



Dumfries & Galloway 
  

1998 
  

70 
  

- 
  

47 
  

1 
  



1999 
  

48 
  

- 
  

12 
  

- 
  



2000 
  

118 
  

- 
  

480 
  

- 
  



Fife 
  

1998 
  

27 
  

1 
  

1 
  

- 
  



1999 
  

47 
  

- 
  

1 
  

- 
  



2000 
  

51 
  

1 
  

287 
  

- 
  



Grampian 
  

1998 
  

192 
  

7 
  

- 
  

7 
  



1999 
  

201 
  

2 
  

12 
  

- 
  



2000 
  

311 
  

2 
  

1,158 
  

2 
  



Lothian & Borders 
  

1998 
  

175 
  

- 
  

5 
  

1 
  



1999 
  

117 
  

2 
  

- 
  

- 
  



2000 
  

148 
  

4 
  

857 
  

3 
  



Northern 
  

1998 
  

180 
  

1 
  

5 
  

5 
  



1999 
  

184 
  

5 
  

123 
  

- 
  



2000 
  

228 
  

2 
  

2,024 
  

1 
  



Strathclyde 
  

1998 
  

181 
  

1 
  

- 
  

- 
  



1999 
  

126 
  

1 
  

- 
  

- 
  



2000 
  

118 
  

- 
  

918 
  

1 
  



Tayside 
  

1998 
  

97 
  

7 
  

- 
  

- 
  



1999 
  

110 
  

2 
  

- 
  

- 
  



2000 
  

125 
  

1 
  

915 
  

1 
  



Annual totals for all police forces 
  

1998 
  

962 
  

20 
  

58 
  

14 
  



1999 
  

857 
  

12 
  

148 
  

- 
  



2000 
  

1,152 
  

10 
  

6,890 
  

8

Firearms

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has received from the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland or the Scottish Police Federation on the weighting attributed to police reports on firearms licence applications and whether it will make representations to Her Majesty’s Government to review the licensing procedures.

Mr Jim Wallace: None. Firearms policy and legislation are reserved matters and responsibility for policy on firearms licensing rests with the Home Office.

  The Home Office, in consultation with police forces and with Her Majesty's Inspectorates of Constabulary, will be carrying out a review of firearms licensing fees and efficiency over the coming year.

Firearms

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether information relating to firearm licence applications refused as a result of police enquiries are centrally collated to ease access by other police forces throughout the UK.

Mr Jim Wallace: At present there is no central or national firearms licence application database covering all UK force areas. Each Scottish, and indeed UK, police force maintains its own standalone system. In Scotland, the Scottish Criminal Records Office receives and records details of firearm certificate holders located within the Scottish force areas. This information can then be accessed on-line by all Scottish police forces.

  The Police Information Technology Organisation is progressing the establishment of a National (UK) Firearms Certificate Holders Register. The National Firearms Certificate Holders Register Project Board, which includes representation from the Association of Police Officers in Scotland, is aiming for UK-wide implementation of the register by summer 2002.

Firearms

Hugh Henry (Paisley South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what age restrictions apply to the buying of pellets for use in air powered weapons and what action it will take to eliminate any inconsistencies in the law on the age of persons to whom (a) air powered guns and (b) air pellets can be sold.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Firearms Act 1968 (as amended) specifies that a young person under the age of 17 cannot purchase a low-powered air weapon and/or ammunition for it.

  Firearms policy and legislation are reserved matters. However, the Scottish Executive is represented on the Firearms Consultative Committee, which is an independent statutory body established to keep under review the working of the provisions of the Firearms Acts, and to make recommendations to the Home Secretary for improving their working. The committee’s latest annual report is due to be submitted to the Home Secretary shortly and will thereafter be laid before the UK Parliament.

Flood Prevention

Nora Radcliffe (Gordon) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to assist local authorities with measures to reduce and manage flood risks.

Rhona Brankin: The Executive actively encourages local authorities to reduce and manage the flood risk to non-agricultural land.

  We have issued planning guidance on flood risk and have ensured that councils have the necessary powers and resources to address local flooding concerns. Additionally, the Executive has published research on flood risk and provided for Scottish Environment Protection Agency’s flood warnings and information on the risk of flooding to be more readily available.

  Research into Potential Adaptation Strategies for Climate Change in Scotland was published last month. This research will inform our consideration of a strategic level response to assist local decision makers to implement adaptation strategies to protect their communities from flooding.

Flood Prevention

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will instruct the North of Scotland Water Authority (NOSWA) to make available immediately to residents in Dalfaber, Aviemore, details of the flood risk assessment which it commissioned from Earthtec on the risk of flooding of the proposed sewerage treatment plant in Dalfaber and the assessment of the alternative full site at Cambusmore and why NOSWA did not disclose these details to residents once they had received them.

Ross Finnie: I understand that NOSWA received the final report on 4 October, analysed its content, and passed it to the member on 29 October, and to local community representatives.

Foot-and-Mouth Disease

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what methods of disposal of ash derived from the pyres of foot-and-mouth disease infected carcasses have been explored; what the preferred method of disposal is, and what outstanding tonnage of ash is yet to be disposed of.

Ross Finnie: There are in the region of 2,000 tonnes of pyre ash at three sites in Scotland which require disposal. Disposal routes for the material throughout the UK were considered by the Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee, the Department of Health, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Environment Agency. They considered all possible disposal options for the material arising from the large pyres, including re-incineration and on-site burial, and concluded that the best option is disposal at a licensed engineered landfill site.

Foot-and-Mouth Disease

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what powers it has to force the operators of the Garlaff Landfill Site to take ash derived from the pyres of foot-and-mouth disease infected cattle carcasses and whether it intends to use any such powers of enforcement.

Ross Finnie: Scottish ministers have powers under section 57 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 to direct the holder of a waste management licence to accept and keep, or accept and treat or dispose of, controlled waste at specified places on specified terms. Ministers are considering whether or not to invoke these powers in relation to Garlaff Landfill site.

Foot-and-Mouth Disease

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has held with East Ayrshire Council regarding the disposal of ash derived from the pyres of foot-and-mouth disease infected cattle carcasses.

Ross Finnie: Since the end of August, there have been extensive discussions between Scottish Executive officials and the East Ayrshire Council Director of Community Services about proposals for the disposal of the ash from the three pyre sites in the South of Scotland. These included meetings in Glasgow and Kilmarnock. I have also discussed the matter personally with the leader of the council, Councillor Drew McIntyre, and the First Minister met him on 1 November.

Health

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it has in place to ensure that budgets allocated to all health board areas reflect its policies.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Performance Assessment Framework will form the mandatory core framework for assessing the performance of NHSScotland. This assessment will encompass a wide range of activities undertaken by NHS boards including the implementation of relevant national priorities set out in Our National Health .

Health

Mr Kenneth Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to implement the recommendations made in Sensing Progress .

Susan Deacon: The Scottish Executive has taken several steps to implement the recommendations made in Sensing Progress including the establishment of a short-life working group of representatives of local authorities, health services and people with a visual impairment, to review, and change as necessary, the efficiency of arrangements for certification and registration - this was set up and reported in May 2001.

  In addition, the Sensing Progress recommendations set out some clear action points for local authorities, and the Chief Inspector of Social Work Services, in his annual report, will record what progress has been made.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive (a) from what external sources any (i) financial and (ii) non-financial contributions to health care establishments have been received, (b) which establishments received any such contributions and (c) how much the financial contributions were and, in the case of non-financial contributions, how these were made, in each of the past five years.

Susan Deacon: The information requested is not held centrally.

Health

Mr Lloyd Quinan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the remit is of the Expert Group on Immunisation.

Susan Deacon: The remit of the Expert Group is as follows:

  To consider matters raised by the Health and Community Care Committee relating to vaccination against mumps, measles and rubella (MMR) with particular reference to:

  describing the consequences of pursuing an alternative vaccination policy to MMR;

  reviewing evidence on the apparent rise in the incidence of autism, taking account of the current work of the Medical Research Council;

  describing the process of vaccine testing and the monitoring of adverse effects, and

  in all its work, having regard to the role and remit of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, the Committee on Safety of Medicines and the Medicines Control Agency.

Health

Mr Lloyd Quinan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive who the members are of the Expert Group on Immunisation; what qualifications and expertise each member has; what criteria were used to decide on the membership, and what external interests each member has.

Susan Deacon: Details of the members of the Expert Group are set out in the table. In addition, Dr Kenneth Aitken, Independent Consultant Child Clinical Neuropsychologist and Dr Gordon Bell, Lovaas Technique Adviser, have also been invited to join the group. A summary declaration of members’ interests is currently being compiled and will be available in due course on the Expert Group's website.

  Some members were nominated by groups or professional bodies. Others were invited to participate on the basis of their professional standing and their capacity to connect appropriately to, for example, the work of the Medical Research Council or the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation. The selection of members also had regard to the range of issues raised by the Health and Community Care Committee.

  


Jonathon Best 
  

Chief Executive of Yorkhill NHS Trust since February 2000. 
  Previously Chief Executive at Lomond and Argyll NHS Trust. 
  



Dr Claire Bramley 
  

Epidemiologist, Scottish Centre for Infection and Environmental 
  Health. 
  



Dr Clare Brogan 
  

Lecturer in Psychology Glasgow Caledonian University. Nominated 
  by the National Autistic Society. 
  



Dr David Cromie 
  

Consultant in Public Health Medicine and Immunisation Co-ordinator, 
  Lanarkshire NHS Board. 
  



Mr Martyn Evans 
  

Director of the Scottish Consumer Council. Previous posts 
  have included Visiting Professor of Law at the University 
  of Strathclyde, Chief Executive of Citizens Advice for Scotland 
  and the Director of Shelter (Scotland). 
  



The Very Reverend Graham Forbes 
  

Chairman. Provost, St Mary's Cathedral Edinburgh. 
  



Dr David Goldblatt 
  

Reader in Immunology at the Institute of Child Health, 
  University College, London and a Consultant Paediatric Immunologist 
  at Great Ormond Street Children's NHS Trust and member of 
  Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). 
  



Mrs Gillian Hamer-Hodges 
  

Current chairperson of the National Association for Colitis 
  and Crohn's Disease (NACC) National Group Forum, the NACC 
  Scottish representative and a trustee. 
  



Mrs Jane Hook 
  

Chairperson of Scottish Society for Autism (SSA) and the 
  Autism Alliance for Scotland. Co-founder of the Strathclyde 
  Autistic Society. Member of Steering Group for the Public 
  Health Institute of Scotland (PHIS) Needs Assessment for 
  Autism. 
  



Professor Steve Hudson 
  

Boots Professor of Pharmaceutical Care, University of Strathclyde. 
  Scottish Executive National Specialist in Pharmaceutical 
  Care. Founder member and current General Committee member 
  of UK Clinical Pharmacy Association. 
  



Professor Eve Johnston 
  

Professor of Psychiatry and Head of Department of Psychiatry, 
  University of Edinburgh. Chairman of MRC Autism Review. 
  



Ms Jo McCallum 
  

Public Health Nurse Specialist (Women's and Children's 
  Health), Ayrshire and Arran NHS Board. Over 20 years nursing 
  experience with specialist interest in childhood immunisations. 
  



Dr Adrian Margerison 
  

Consultant Community Paediatrician Borders NHS Board. Chairman 
  of Scottish Association of Community Child Health. 
  



Dr Andrew Riley 
  

Director of Public Health, Borders NHS Board. 
  



Professor Lewis Ritchie 
  

Mackenzie Professor and Head of General Practice and Primary 
  Care, University of Aberdeen. Principal general practitioner 
  at Peterhead Health Centre. Serves on JCVI and recently 
  chaired the Meningococcal C Immunisation Programme Implementation 
  Group for Scotland. 
  



Mr Bruce Robertson 
  

Director of Education, Highland Council. 
  



Professor Lawrence Weaver 
  

Samson Gemmell Chair of Child Health, University of Glasgow.

Health

Mr Lloyd Quinan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when the Expert Group on Immunisation will present its findings.

Susan Deacon: The Expert Group will aim to report by 28 February 2002.

Health

Mr Lloyd Quinan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will arrange for meetings and the minutes of meetings of the Expert Group on Immunisation to be made public.

Susan Deacon: This is a matter for the Expert Group. Information about the group and its work will shortly be available on its website.

Health

Mr Lloyd Quinan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many meetings of the Expert Group on Immunisation have taken place and what issues were discussed.

Susan Deacon: There have been three meetings of the Expert Group to date. The content of meetings is a matter for the Expert Group, having regard to its remit. Details of the group's work will be available on its website.

Health

Mr Lloyd Quinan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how the Expert Group on Immunisation will gather its evidence.

Susan Deacon: This is a matter for the Expert Group. I understand, however, that it has invited a number of medical experts and organisations to present evidence relevant to its remit. In addition, the views of other organisations and the general public were sought through national and local media advertisements.

Health

Mr Lloyd Quinan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive who will provide administrative support to the Expert Group on Immunisation.

Susan Deacon: Officials from the Health Department at the Scottish Executive are providing the secretariat and administrative support to the Expert Group.

Health

Mr Lloyd Quinan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost will be of running the Expert Group on Immunisation broken down by (a) administration, (b) group member costs, (c) hospitality and (d) marketing.

Susan Deacon: The Expert Group will be resourced to carry out its remit effectively. Expenditure incurred will be recorded in its report.

Health

Fiona McLeod (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many orthopaedic consultants were employed at Glasgow Royal Infirmary in the financial years (a) 2000-01 and (b) 2001-02 to date and whether the number of orthopaedic consultants employed in these years was adequate for the provision of the orthopaedic service.

Susan Deacon: Information on staffing numbers is collected at a local level only, and is therefore not available in the form requested. I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-19400.

Health

Fiona McLeod (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether Glasgow Royal Infirmary’s Orthopaedics Department has been understaffed at any time during the current year.

Susan Deacon: It is the responsibility of local NHS management to ensure satisfactory levels of service across all specialities and departments, within the increased resources available to the service.

Heritage

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive which ministers have met representatives of the Ancient Monuments Board for Scotland since 1 July 1999 and on which occasions.

Allan Wilson: Rhona Brankin, the then Deputy Minister for Culture and Sport, has met representatives of the Ancient Monuments Board for Scotland twice since 1 July 1999, on 22 November 1999 and 4 October 2000. I have arranged to meet representatives of the Board on 12 November 2001.

Hospitals

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on any dispersal of patients from the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh in anticipation of the move to the infirmary’s new premises.

Susan Deacon: I understand from NHS Lothian that there are no plans to disperse any patients currently in the Royal Infirmary in anticipation of the commissioning of the new hospital at Little France. All of the specialities from the Royal Infirmary will relocate to the new Royal Infirmary over two phases, in 2002-03 and 2003-04.

Hospitals

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether heart patients are being transferred from the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh to the Western General Hospital, Edinburgh.

Susan Deacon: No. Both hospitals have Cardiology Departments, and I understand from NHS Lothian that there are no plans at this stage to change their configuration. Cardiac surgery is carried out only at the Royal Infirmary.

Hospitals

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether NHS Trusts can use "winter pressure" funding to allocate places in nursing and residential homes, alleviate delayed discharges from hospitals and ensure that patients receive treatment in NHS hospitals.

Susan Deacon: NHS Boards and Trusts, in collaboration with their local authority planning partners and others, are responsible for decisions about the use of the additional resources provided to NHSScotland to help respond to winter pressures. The resources can be used to purchase places in nursing and residential homes where appropriate. It is an important policy objective that all patients should be cared for in the surroundings most appropriate to their needs.

Housing

Dennis Canavan (Falkirk West): To ask the Scottish Executive how much housing debt (a) is still owed and (b) has been written off in respect of each landlord of tenancies of former Scottish Homes housing stock.

Jackie Baillie: No Scottish Homes loan debt passes to landlords acquiring Scottish Homes housing stock. There have therefore been no instances of debt write off for individual landlords. The associated debt remains with Scottish Homes where it is serviced in the usual way or repaid using any proceeds from the sale of the stock.

Industry

Paul Martin (Glasgow Springburn) (Lab): To ask the First Minister what measures are being taken to support manufacturing industry.

Mr Jim Wallace: Good progress has been made – and continues to be made – on a wide range of initiatives to support manufacturing as set out in Created in Scotland .

Justice

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-17713 by Mr Jim Wallace on 19 September 2001, how many people have been (a) arrested and (b) charged under section 50A of the Criminal Law (Consolidation) (Scotland) Act 1995 in each year since the Act came into force.

Mr Jim Wallace: Information on the numbers of people arrested and charged by the police is not held centrally. The number of offences under section 50A of the Criminal Law (Consolidation) (Scotland) Act 1995, recorded by the police, was four in 1998, 386 in 1999 and 917 in 2000. The available information on persons with a main charge proved in court for this offence was given in reply to question S1W-17713 on 19 September 2001.

Law

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to paragraphs 5 and 8 of the First Report of the Law Reform Committee for Scotland (Cmnd 88, 1957), whether the position that a "trespasser" in Scots Law is "not necessarily versans in illicito" has changed since the publication of that report.

Mr Jim Wallace: It is for the courts to interpret the law. The law of trespass continues to operate on the same basis as in 1957.

Lifelong Learning

Marilyn Livingstone (Kirkcaldy) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to monitor the administration of Individual Learning Accounts in Scotland following the decision by the Department for Education and Skills to suspend them in England.

Ms Wendy Alexander: We are continuing to operate the financial monitoring and administrative management systems set up when Individual Learning Accounts were first established. In light of the DfES decision, we have reviewed current arrangements and introduced an additional layer of checks.

Lifelong Learning

Ian Jenkins (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to audit the quality of training or education provided to holders of Individual Learning Accounts.

Ms Wendy Alexander: All learning providers participating in the Individual Learning Accounts scheme are required to meet or to be working towards appropriate quality standards such as the Scottish Quality Management System.

Local Government

Mr Keith Harding (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to amend the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 to allow the practice of co-option of student representatives to council committees which cover the education functions of local authorities.

Peter Peacock: We do not believe that this legislation disallows student representatives being co-opted to council committees and therefore we have no plans to amend it.

Local Government

Mr Frank McAveety (Glasgow Shettleston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to assist local authorities in making communities safer.

Iain Gray: As recently as 31 October, I announced details of a new community safety award programme which will give all council-led Community Safety Partnerships a share of £12 million over the next three years for local community safety initiatives.

Local Government

Mr Keith Harding (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it provides any financial or administrative assistance to Nuclear Free Local Authorities.

Peter Peacock: The Scottish Executive provides no financial or administrative assistance to Nuclear Free Local Authorities.

Meat Industry

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether venison produced in Scotland is inspected under any quality assurance system to ensure consumer confidence in the product.

Ross Finnie: Yes, farmed venison is subjected to quality assurance inspections and soon wild venison from land run by Forest Enterprise will also be inspected. However, other wild venison is not at present covered by a quality assurance scheme, although the Scottish Game Dealers and Processors Association are at present working on introducing a scheme which will include inspection by an accredited certification body.

Mental Health

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to ensure that projects funded by the Mental Illness Specific Grant Scheme which are eligible for mainstreaming are actually mainstreamed.

Malcolm Chisholm: We shall continue to issue guidance to local authorities that they regularly monitor and review the effectiveness of projects, and that those which are proven valuable and necessary in meeting needs locally should be considered for funding from authorities' mainstream social work expenditure.

NHS Waiting Times

Colin Campbell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the waiting times for a tonsillectomy were at the (a) Royal Alexandra Hospital, Paisley and (b) Vale of Leven Hospital, at 30 September 2001 or the most recent date for which figures are available.

Susan Deacon: Provisional figures for the year ending 30 June 2001 show that the median waiting times for tonsillectomies at Vale of Leven Hospital and the Royal Alexandra Hospital were 162 days and 59 days respectively.

  Waiting times for routine tonsillectomy operations have increased in recent months due to the need for these procedures to be undertaken with single-use, disposable instruments.

NHS Waiting Times

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the current average waiting time is from arrival to treatment for patients in NHS accident and emergency departments and what the average time was in 2000-01.

Susan Deacon: Information on waiting times for patients presenting at accident and emergency departments is not collected routinely, and is available only from data compiled from a week-long survey carried out each year. The results of the March/April 2001 survey will be published by the Information and Statistics Division of the Common Services Agency on 29 November 2001.

  The latest available information on waiting times in accident and emergency departments, compiled from the survey undertaken in March/April 2000, is available on the Scottish Health on the Web (SHOW) website at:

  http://www.show.scot.nhs.uk/isd/Scottish_Health_Statistics/subject/AandE/01_01_a&.pdf.

Police

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many times and which police boards did not take up their full entitlement to police grant in each of the past three years and at what percentage below the grant-aided expenditure provision the budget of each board was set.

Mr Jim Wallace: The information requested is shown in the following table.

  


Force 
  

GAE Available
  (£000) 


Budget
  (£000) 


Difference
  (£000) 


% below GAE
  (£000) 




1999-2000 
  



Central 
  

£32,913 
  

£32,318 
  

£595 
  

1.8 
  



Fife 
  

£38,958 
  

£38,378 
  

£580 
  

1.5 
  



Northern 
  

£37,190 
  

£35,545 
  

£1,645 
  

4.4 
  



2000-01 
  



Central 
  

£33,468 
  

£33,132 
  

£336 
  

1.0 
  



Fife 
  

£41,652 
  

£41,036 
  

£616 
  

1.5 
  



Northern 
  

£39,014 
  

£38,214 
  

£800 
  

2.0 
  



2001-02 
  



Fife 
  

£44,010 
  

£43,405 
  

£605 
  

1.4 
  



  Note:

  Grant Aided Expenditure is the maximum level of expenditure supported by police grant, which covers 51% of eligible expenditure. Police authorities make up the balance.

Post Offices

Marilyn Livingstone (Kirkcaldy) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what consultation it has had with the Department of Trade and Industry and Consignia to ensure that any reduction in postal services do not disadvantage customers dependent on the services provided by Post Office branches.

Ross Finnie: The Post Office and postal services are reserved matters. The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the UK Government on a wide range of issues.

Prison Service

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to reduce the number of female prisoners.

Iain Gray: In view of the Executive’s concerns over the problem of women’s offending, we set up a Ministerial Group, which I chair, to tackle this specific issue. The group is looking at a range of measures to encourage the appropriate use of alternatives to custody for female offenders. The group is due to complete its work in December and will report shortly after.

Prison Service

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it last met representatives of the Scottish Prison Service and what issues were discussed.

Mr Jim Wallace: The last key meeting was on 24 October when Iain Gray and I met with members of the Prisons Board at a reception at Edinburgh Castle which recognised exceptional work across a range of areas carried out by Scottish Prison Service (SPS) staff. SPS officials have regular meetings with officials from other parts of the Executive.

Racism

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the First Minister what evidence the Scottish Executive has of any increase in the number of racial attacks since 11 September 2001.

Mr Jim Wallace: The police have reported a number of incidents across Scotland linked to the 11 September atrocities. But it is too early to say whether there is an increasing trend in racist incidents. I have made absolutely clear that racist attacks have no place in today’s Scotland and will not be tolerated.

Rail Network

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much money will be made available from the Public Transport Fund for the implementation of the Glasgow CrossRail scheme and the Glasgow Airport direct rail link.

Sarah Boyack: Neither of these projects has yet been the subject of a Public Transport Fund bid.

  The Scottish Executive, in partnership with BAA plc, Scottish Enterprise, the Strategic Rail Authority and the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, is commissioning a study into direct rail links to Glasgow and Edinburgh airports.

Rail Network

Andrew Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the UK rail modernisation fund will be allocated to railway investment projects in Scotland.

Sarah Boyack: The Rail Modernisation Fund is administered by the Strategic Rail Authority on a UK basis.

Roads

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much it would cost to add slip roads to and from East Linton to the A1 expressway between Haddington and Dunbar once the expressway has been built.

Sarah Boyack: Subject to considering matters arising from a detail design, I would expect the cost to be £1.84 million plus VAT at today’s prices.

Roads

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what research it has undertaken into the cost of construction of slip roads connecting the A9 northbound carriageway at the Ballinluig junction with the A827 Ballinluig to Killin Road and what the outcome was of any such research.

Sarah Boyack: In 1995 Tayside Regional Council carried out a review of options for providing grade separation of the Ballinluig junction, by providing slip roads connecting the northbound carriageway of the A9 to the A827 Ballinluig to Killin Road. This study took into account earlier work carried out by Acer Consultants in 1992, which considered the provision of low flow grade separation. The outcome of the Tayside Regional Council’s study was that none of the options brought forward could be economically justified within the competing priorities of the trunk road programme at that time.

  At my request, consultants are now re-examining options for improving road safety at this junction, including those previously considered by Tayside Regional Council with a view to identifying and costing an improvement scheme that may be taken forward.

Rural Affairs

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what (a) individuals and (b) organisations have made representations to it concerning the closure of its Environment and Rural Affairs Department local area offices in Stirling, Forfar and Dundee.

Ross Finnie: Since the announcement about the rationalisation of our offices in Central Scotland was made on 10 August 2001, we have received formal representations from Dundee and Stirling Councils, the Angus branch of the Scottish National Farmers Union and the following MSPs:

  Cathie Craigie MSP

  Bruce Crawford MSP

  Alex Johnstone MSP

  Keith Raffan MSP

  Iain Smith MSP

  Letters from two individual farmers have also been received.

Schools

Brian Fitzpatrick (Strathkelvin & Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in improving school discipline.

Mr Jack McConnell: The recent report of the Discipline Task Group, Better Behaviour - Better Learning , contains 36 recommendations aimed at improving discipline within schools. Every teacher in Scotland now has a summary of the report, and later this month I shall be publishing an Action Plan for implementation of the recommendations.

Scottish Executive Cabinet

David McLetchie (Lothians) (Con): To ask the First Minister whether he has any plans to reshuffle the Cabinet.

Mr Jim Wallace: This will be a matter for the new First Minister once he or she takes up office.

Scottish Executive Cabinet

Mr John Swinney (North Tayside) (SNP): To ask the First Minister what issues were discussed at the last meeting of the Cabinet.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Cabinet met on 6 November when it discussed issues of importance to the people of Scotland.

Scottish Executive Publications

Mr Keith Harding (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the total cost was of publishing, printing and distributing its document, A Policy on Architecture for Scotland .

Allan Wilson: The costs of publishing, printing and distributing the document  A Policy on Architecture for Scotland are shown in the table:

  


Private 
  

£ 
  



Document design1 & web publishing 
  

5,422 
  



Printing 
  

2,968 
  



Postage2


1,030 
  



  Notes:

  1. Includes £2,158 commission of photographic content.

  2. Estimated cost.

Scottish Executive Publications

Mr Keith Harding (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the total cost was of the publication, including the design, photocopying, printing, internet connection of text, distribution and launch, of Preliminary Report on the Equality Strategy  and how many copies were produced.

Jackie Baillie: The total cost of the Preliminary Report on the Equality Strategy was approximately £7,500. 1,500 copies were produced.

Scottish Water

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it plans to take to mitigate any job losses in the south of Scotland following the proposed creation of Scottish Water.

Ross Finnie: The implementation of efficiency measures by the water authorities, necessary to minimise future charge rises will mean a reduction in the number of people employed by the water authorities. I expect these reductions to be managed carefully with consideration being given to the location of operational centres.

Scottish Water

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to write off debt in the event that the three water authorities merge into the proposed Scottish Water.

Ross Finnie: There are no plans for writing off water authority debt.

Special Educational Needs

Colin Campbell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of armed service personnel children in primary and secondary schools are currently recognised as having special educational needs.

Nicol Stephen: The information requested is not held centrally.

Strategic Planning

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will make an announcement on the outcome of the consultation on the Review of Strategic Planning and the timetable for the implementation of any recommendations.

Lewis Macdonald: The consultation period on the Review of Strategic Planning closed on 31 October. We have received over 250 responses and an independent consultant has been appointed to analyse these responses. He will report at the end of January next year and his report will be published. A seminar will be held in January to provide initial feedback to consultees. I intend to announce conclusions in the spring.

  The timetable for any changes to the arrangements for strategic planning will depend on the conclusions reached and, in particular, on whether primary or secondary legislation is required to implement the outcome of the review.

Teachers

Maureen Macmillan (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what success it has had with its campaign to attract mature entrants into teaching.

Mr Jack McConnell: The recent Teacher Recruitment Advertising Campaign has the twin objectives of improving public perception of teaching as a worthwhile and rewarding career and increasing the numbers of talented people entering the teaching profession.

  The campaign was not specifically aimed at mature entrants to the profession. Nevertheless 70% of callers responding to the recent run of adverts and requesting further information on teaching and entry requirements were in the 25-44 age group.

Tobacco

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what input it is having into the negotiations to phase out EU tobacco subsidies.

Ross Finnie: The Executive agrees fully with the UK Government on this matter. We strongly disapprove of the Common Agricultural Policy support scheme for tobacco. We argue that the Community should progressively disengage from support for tobacco production, on grounds of health and cost.

Tourism

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will reconsider its decision not to appoint a minister at cabinet level whose sole portfolio is tourism.

Ms Wendy Alexander: I have Cabinet level responsibility for tourism and both Alasdair Morrison and I are working extremely hard with VisitScotland to support the industry at this difficult time.

Vaccines

Mr Lloyd Quinan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the First Minister what plans the Scottish Executive has to introduce additional live vaccines for human immunisation.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Executive has no such plans.

Victim Support

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it is making in improving the position of victims in the legal system.

Iain Gray: The Executive is making good progress in implementing the Scottish Strategy for Victims and the Action Plans which support it. We are improving the support and information available to victims and will be providing them with more opportunities to participate. For example, yesterday we announced the launch of a consultation paper on the procedures for a victims’ statements scheme. Such a scheme would provide victims with the chance to set out the impact which a crime has had an on them and would be an important step in providing victims with more opportunities to participate in the criminal justice process.

Waste Management

Mr John McAllion (Dundee East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in publishing area waste strategies.

Rhona Brankin: Two draft area waste plans (Forth Valley and Argyll & Bute) have been published for consultation. Options or issues papers seeking public views on the range of solutions being considered have been published for five other areas (Fife, Glasgow & Clyde Valley, Highland, Tayside and Lothian & Borders).